As you might expect, I speak with many senior executives and other job hunters on a regular basis. As we review their job search techniques and situation, the common refrain I hear is they’ve set up a LinkedIn profile, but then failed to do anything else with it.

In many cases, I find executives are only peripherally aware using LinkedIn can help their job search, but they’re not sure what steps to take that will help them leverage it properly.

Here’s the fact you’ll need to face if you plan to find a job in 2011 or beyond: your online identity is already starting to eclipse your traditional resume.

That’s right – a branded, search-optimization-friendly synopsis of your background on LinkedIn has become a requirement for finding your next job.

The proof is in the results, as noted by this article that points out how Oracle’s new CFO was headhunted directly from LinkedIn. And that’s not all: the piece includes more advice on how recruiters can learn more about prospective candidates by using social media to track job hunter activities.

And just to hammer the point home, here are several recruiters that publicly noted their search methods in the LinkedIn Answers Forum, giving you a birds’-eye view on exactly how YOU might be found and recruited on the site!

So quit focusing on your resume as the ultimate centerpiece of your search! You can have the most beautiful, well-written resume on the planet – but if it isn’t accompanied by a strong LinkedIn Profile, your efforts will stall quickly.

[This article was originally posted on an earlier date]

Laura Smith-Proulx, founder of An Expert Resume, is a resume expert & former recruiter who wins interviews for C-Suite leaders using powerful personal branding and resume strategies.